McCain Takes Lead in Polls

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a sharp turnaround, Republican John McCain has opened a 5-point lead on Democrat Barack Obama in the U.S. presidential race and is seen as a stronger manager of the economy, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday.

It seems that the public is starting to reject the flim-flam Obama rhetoric and opt for someone with a record of accomplishment and who is actually capable of leading through the tough times ahead. I am surprised.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a sharp turnaround, Republican John McCain has opened a 5-point lead on Democrat Barack Obama in the U.S. presidential race and is seen as a stronger manager of the economy, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday.

It seems that the public is starting to reject the flim-flam Obama rhetoric and opt for someone with a record of accomplishment and who is actually capable of leading through the tough times ahead. I am surprised.

Stay Well
Wotansson

Oh no.. You are saying that McCain is leading in one poll? OH GOOD LORD! One out of numerous over the last couple of months. Its all over! Cancel the election, Mccains the winner!

What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence.

A president duly elected by a majority of the electorate.
Notably a president who may be 80 before his (potential) second term of office is up. Here’s hoping he chooses a V.P. very wisely, because the electorate don’t get that much say in who his potential stand-in will be.

Given the potential stress of the position of president, I would think that any US citizen who might vote in the upcoming election would consider this carefully.

I am Canadian.

That’s discriminatory and exaggerated. McCain is in pretty good health.

Would you tell FDR he has to make way because of the wheelchair?

Ridiculous and ageist.

Someone can be too young to hold office, or too ill, but not too old, provided their health is good, which his is.

A president duly elected by a majority of the electorate.
Notably a president who may be 80 before his (potential) second term of office is up. Here’s hoping he chooses a V.P. very wisely, because the electorate don’t get that much say in who his potential stand-in will be.

Given the potential stress of the position of president, I would think that any US citizen who might vote in the upcoming election would consider this carefully.

I am Canadian.

Duly elected…agreed…but you would prefer any young, brash, inexperienced fool? I am well under 72 and you are going to support my candidacy? I think not. I hope that all candidates and voters choose wisely but alas…I doubt it.
Do you have good advice for Canadian politics too?

That’s discriminatory and exaggerated. McCain is in pretty good health.

Would you tell FDR he has to make way because of the wheelchair?

Ridiculous and ageist.

Someone can be too young to hold office, or too ill, but not too old, provided their health is good, which his is.

I bet you he lives to be 85 at least.

Yeah, people at old age never suffer sudden health problems.

I mean who ever heard of a 72 year old who got significant health problems between then and 80?

Ofcourse, lots of people go from great health to a box under the ground in less than that time. My grandfather on my fathers side was the fittest guy you ever saw at 68. He was the kinda guy who ran marathons and were really physically active. At 70 he was dead.

My grandfather on my mothers side was also incredibly fit for his age at 78, he is still in better shape and condition than most people at 60. Ofcourse we saw the first hints of alzheimers when he was 74, at 76 he did not have a shred of short term memory left.

To call in age is a perfectly valid point, do get off the Political correctness wagon and dare to have a full ranged argument.

Yeah you can be too young, you can be too old too. Its not ageist. Its common sense. If McCain gets hospitalized six months after taking the office, you will have a monarch ruling the country. Because you never elect a vice president.

What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence.

Now where did I say that? (Oh, I see. You’re putting words in my mouth {specifically words not spoken by me} so you can argue against them. I understand.)

Wotansson - 20 August 2008 04:40 PM

I am well under 72 and you are going to support my candidacy?

Now where did I say anything about your candidacy or age being relevant to my opinion about McCain?

Wotansson - 20 August 2008 04:40 PM

I think not. I hope that all candidates and voters choose wisely but alas…I doubt it.

As do I. Partisanship tends to have a very distinct effect on the electorate.

Wotansson - 20 August 2008 04:40 PM

Do you have good advice for Canadian politics too?

Yup.
Did you want to hear it?

So you do have an ideal candidate in mind and age is big factor since 80 is clearly too old. Anything else you would consider as a relevant factor besides age?

I am sure that your fellow Canadians are dying to hear your opinions on the politics of your country and I will listen in too. Being a foreigner (to Canada), I would think that Canadians would not really give a damn about my opinions of Canadian politics and might view my opinions as an intrusion into their personal business. They would be right.

Isn’t there a slight taste of irony in this? The people who get jumpy at the very mention of McCains age are the same people who are so obsessed about Obama being too young. Age is a factor when it works in your favor I guess.

What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence.

Yeah you can be too young, you can be too old too. Its not ageist. Its common sense. If McCain gets hospitalized six months after taking the office, you will have a monarch ruling the country. Because you never elect a vice president.

Hmmm. What if he selects Jeb Bush for his V.P.?

I would hope that no candidates in November will have the names of Bush or Clinton.

Aah, the lovely shades of nationalism. Isn’t it also interesting how your opinions as a lowly foreigner is also usually fine and accepted. As long as the opinions does not clash with the person you are talking to. When they do, then you have no right to comment on “their” politics.

What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence.

Isn’t there a slight taste of irony in this? The people who get jumpy at the very mention of McCains age are the same people who are so obsessed about Obama being too young. Age is a factor when it works in your favor I guess.

Age should not be the determining factor - old or young. Experience and leadership should be. This is worthy of getting jumpy and obsessed about.

Yeah you can be too young, you can be too old too. Its not ageist. Its common sense. If McCain gets hospitalized six months after taking the office, you will have a monarch ruling the country. Because you never elect a vice president.

Hmmm. What if he selects Jeb Bush for his V.P.?

Romney? Or McCains favorite preacher, Joel Osteen? Osteen says that God wants us to be rich, and if we’re rich we won’t have to worry about health care, or the price of oil, or the cost of staying in Iraq. A new megachurch could be built around the White House.

“The simple fables of the religious of the world have come to seem like tales told to children.” - Nobel Prize recipient - Francis Crick

“It is time we recognized the boundless narcissism and self-deceit of the saved.” - Sam Harris

Once, when asked what represented the greatest challenge for a statesman, British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan responded, “Events, my dear boy, events.” Reading the various political pundits, it seems that one reason for McCain’s surge in the polls is the Russian-Georgian conflict. The electorate seems to think, by a 2-1 margin, that McCain is better able to deal with Russian aggression than Obama. Wouldn’t it be ironic if the US election turned on something that happened in “South Ossetia”? Events.

I like to examine my political candidates for a number of features - I look for integrity, compassion, ethics, competence, knowledge of key issues that will affect the survivability of the general populace - things like sound economic policy, good understanding of both the issues and the knowledge necessary to understand and steer policies around the issues. I look for an absence partisanship - I hope not to elect a “leader” who will simply blame the opposition for all faults rather than searching for solutions for problems with the help of the opposition. I look for leadership that doesn’t depend on platforms that limit rights, freedoms, liberties, choices of the general electorate through agenda driven legislation. I look for leadership that handles cronyism, kick-backs and potential lobby-gifts with integrity, honesty and open transparency where appropriate. I look for a leader who’s personal opinions will not (hopefully) hinder him or her from being a leader for ALL of the electorate. And yes, I look for a leader who is likely to be able to handle the stress (emotional and physical) and the rigours of the posting. So yes, age, health, and physical ability play a role in my selection.

Allow me to preempt you, however, by noting that I would not deny an older person the liberty and privilege to run for office, nor would I deny them that office if they got duly elected by a majority of the populaces.

Very rational, intelligent and thoughtful. Hard to believe it was written by the same person who said:

Well, if the US votes him in, they get what they deserve.
Notably a president who may be 80 before his (potential) second term of office is up. Here’s hoping he chooses a V.P. very wisely, because the electorate don’t get that much say in who his potential stand-in will be.

If you want to express an opinion, why not try your intelligent criteria on McCain and Obama?

Aah, the lovely shades of nationalism. Isn’t it also interesting how your opinions as a lowly foreigner is also usually fine and accepted. As long as the opinions does not clash with the person you are talking to. When they do, then you have no right to comment on “their” politics.

Folks should clean their own house first. Once they show wisdom and results, then they are qualified to give advice. Talk is cheap, and cheaper than ever before.